UK counter-terrorism police have arrested a 41-year-old US Army soldier near Gloucester, England, for obtaining or disclosing classified information and assisting Russian intelligence, in breach of sections 1 and 3 of the UK National Security Act 2023.
The soldier remains in custody in London while investigators search 2 locations in Gloucestershire. The operation was carried out in close cooperation with the counterintelligence of the US military and the FBI, whose director, Kash Patel, confirmed that the investigation included espionage.
British authorities described the facts as serious, while US military officials warned of ongoing threats from within. The identity of the spies and the compromised information remain undisclosed.
Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of the US Army's Counterintelligence Command, said as part of the statement: This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and the determination of the counterintelligence community. I am grateful to the UK and the FBI for their professionalism and teamwork during this investigation. The alleged conduct of a senior soldier, in charge of sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that internal threats are real and ongoing. I encourage anyone who thinks they saw something suspicious to report it to their local counterintelligence office.